|
SUBOXONE® or SUBUTEX® DETOX
 
SUBOXONE® and SUBUTEX®
(buprenorphine HCI/naloxone HCI)
DETOXIFICATION
When we refer to Suboxone®, we also mean to include Subutex®. These drugs are the first opioid medications approved under FDA regulation DATA 2000 for the treatment of opioid dependence in an office-based setting. Suboxone® can be dispensed for take-home use, just as any other medicine for other medical conditions. The primary active ingredient in Suboxone® is buprenorphine. Because buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, its opioid effects are limited compared with those produced by full opioid agonists, such as oxycodone or heroin. Suboxone® also contains naloxone, an opioid antagonist.
The naloxone in Suboxone® is there to discourage people from dissolving the tablet and injecting it. When Suboxone® is placed under the tongue, as directed, very little naloxone reaches the bloodstream, so what the patient feels are the effects of the buprenorphine. However, if naloxone is injected, it can cause that person to quickly go into withdrawal.
Suboxone® is useful in the treatment of opiate dependency. We specialize in treating patients that have become dependant on Suboxone® that desire to be completely drug free. Suboxone® is amazing in that when you do stop taking it the acute withdrawal symptoms are relatively manageable after a slow taper to a very small dose. However, the Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms (PAWS) can be quite troublesome.
Special skills are required by practitioners to safely and comfortably withdraw from Suboxone®. At NBD, we have refined a detox protocol the allows a patient to jump off Suboxone® and have all symptoms, both acute and post acute minimalized.Suboxone® withdrawal tends to be for a longer duration and the PAWS period seems to more intense than other short acting opiates. Because of this fact we have modified our typical opiate detox protocols to address these differences. The goal of the Suboxone® detox treatment is to reduce the length of the PAWS and reduce the level of intensity of the symptoms.
 
Some components of our Suboxone® treatment plan are:
- Use various medications that reduce or eliminate acute withdrawal symptoms and PAWS
|
- Utilize a series of vitamin injections to replace what has been depleted, promote brain health and increase overall well being and reduce cravings
|
- Use Amino Acid therapy to promote neuro-restoration (brain health) thus aiding healing
|
- Utilize Acupuncture that is specifically targeted for opiate detoxification
|
- Utilize various supplements that have proven track record in promoting healing from opiate dependency and reduce cravings
|
- Provide "coaching" or counseling through the entire process
|
- Provide optional after care counseling - individual and groups
|
- Optional use of Naltrexone® to block opiates from brain receptor sites, therefore preventing relapse and reduction of cravings
|
Addiction is a brain disease.
We treat the brain.
|
